October 18th & 19th, 2023
This event gathered international experts studying foreign fighters in the former Soviet Union to analyze the causes explaining why the region became the biggest contributors of foreign combatants in Syria surpassing the Middle East. It also investigated the importance of the war in Ukraine as a traveling destination for Western far-right extremists as well as fighters from all over the former Soviet Union and its long-term effect of regional security.
This two-day workshop provided a better understanding of 1) the threat link to foreign fighters in the former Soviet Union; 2) the reasons behind their violent mobilization, and 3) determine what specific policies that can be put forward to address post conflict challenges including the question of returnees.
**The conference was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) of the United Kingdom, the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC), and the Centre for International Policy Studies (CIPS)**
October 18, 2023
8:30am-9:00am – Registration and Breakfast
9:00am-9:15am – Foreign Fighters in the Former Soviet Union: An Introduction
Jean-François Ratelle, University of Ottawa
Huseyn Aliyev, University of Glasgow (Online)
9:15am-11:15am – The War in Ukraine: Military Operations and Foreign Fighters
Chair: Alexandra Wishart, University of Ottawa
Paul Robinson, University of Ottawa – A Military Perspective on the War in Ukraine
Major Harry Gorham, University of Glasgow – Ukraine’s Combined Arms Operations since February 2022
Jean-François Ratelle, University of Ottawa – An Overview of Foreign Fighter Groups for Ukraine
[ Ссылка ]
